The summer is all about feeling good, looking good and hopefully, enjoying a well-earned break. Most of us know how to get in shape for the beach or boardwalk, we just need to find the willpower to do it! However, sometimes no matter how much effort you put into diet and exercise, there’s still a worry about bloating.
Bloating can falsely change your shape and size. Depending on the health of your digestion you may gain weight or lose weight more easily. If you feel a constant ‘gnawing’ hunger, your digestion could be out of sorts. Unless your digestion is working optimally, your midsection can sometimes take on a bloated, distended appearance. Food intolerances can also make the body hold on to excessive water so you may feel ‘puffy’. A dodgy gut can also be the root cause of lethargy, headaches and skin problems.
So what’s the answer if you yearn for a flatter tummy?
The answer is often multi-faceted, but let’s start with diet. Firstly, increase natural, digestion-friendly fibre such as that found in fruit and vegetables. Not only will it improve transit time, but fibrous food also bind to excess oestrogen in the digestive tract, carrying it out of the body. Good sources include brown rice, carrots, cucumbers and celery. You should get a good gut feeling about asparagus too as it contains an even more important type of fibre called inulin, known as a prebiotic. Unlike most other carbohydrates, inulin doesn't get broken down in the earlier stages of digestion but instead passes undigested all the way to our large intestine where it becomes an ideal food source for certain types of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. Raw asparagus tastes just as good, and contains more beneficial prebiotic fibre - asparagus ribbons at the ready!Small dietary changes can have a big impact, but sometimes, they alone are not enough. How you eat is important too. Mindful is a word that’s becoming ubiquitous for just about anything related to well-being but it is fits perfectly when it comes to eating well. Chew slowly, don’t eat when stressed. Simple rules that help ease the bloat.
Last but not least, a helping hand comes in the form of Udo’s Choice Digestive Enzyme Blend. Digestive enzymes can help beat that heavy, sluggish, after meal feeling. This formula aids the digestion of foods, leaving you free to enjoy your favourite meals again. And, if you’ve been recommended to add some extra support for the gut, or feel you need all the help you can get, probiotics such as Udo’s Choice Super 8 Microbiotics will help rebalance the good bacteria in your gut helping your digestive system to work optimally.
